


Childhood Monsters

by SunflowerSupreme



Series: The Wraith [1]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-18 02:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21920626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunflowerSupreme/pseuds/SunflowerSupreme
Summary: Something horrible is in the woods outside the Feanorian Camp.
Series: The Wraith [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1578712
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

Elrond saw the monster first.

He’d been standing at the edge of their camp when he caught a glimpse of movement in the woods. Curious, and expecting an innocent woodland creature, he stepped closer, squinting.

But whatever it was, it had the shape of a man.

Terrified, he had been unable to make a sound as it stepped toward him, it drug one leg behind it, stumbling forward.

When Elrond had finally managed to scream, it turned and shuffled away, limbs moving awkwardly. Maglor was at his side within seconds, pulling him into his arms protectively, whispering soft reassurances. “What is, _pia ilmanya_?”

“Monster!” he’d shouted, pointing into the trees.

Maedhros had gone after it, not saying a word. He was gone for a very long time, long enough that even Maglor had begun to fret, biting at an apple as he did when he was worried. But finally, the elder Feanorian had returned.

“Harmless,” he’d said, and led Maglor away, no doubt to explain whatever it was he had seen.

Whatever it was, neither of them had ever given Elrond and Elros a full explanation, only strict orders that, for as long as their camp was there, they were not to leave.

No matter how much the boys had pestered them, their captors had refused to answer. It had taken Maedhros threatening to paddle them to stop the questioning.


	2. Chapter 2

Maedhros stepped into the woods, frowning as the darkness closed in around him. His brother hadn’t wanted him to go - he hadn’t said anything, but Maglor was easy to read - but he’d gone anyway. If he didn’t investigate, someone else would have to.

He found the monster’s tracks easily, following it’s hurried escape. He pulled his knife from his belt as he drew nearer to the hunched creature - one of Morgoth’s creations, no doubt - slotting it into a hole on his bracer that allowed him to use it in place of his missing hand.

The creature didn’t seem to have noticed him, too busy grabbing berries off a bush and tucking them into its shirt. He watched for a moment in silence, studying it. It didn’t seem to be an orc, but there was no doubting it had a disfigurement. He frowned, mentally cursing himself. Why couldn’t it be simple?

Maedhros stepped forward and grabbed the back of its head, tilting it back and preparing to slit its throat.

But an elven face, full of fear, stared back at him.

“Mercy!” he begged, first in Quenya, then Sindarin.

Maedhros tightened his grip. “Who are you?” he snarled.

“Please, cousin-”

He forced the creature to its feet, turning it around so he could see its face and study it. “You,” he snarled, recognizing the dark eyes. “You’re dead.”

“I survived,” Maeglin said, struggling to pull away. Maedhros grabbed his throat, preventing him from running. “Please-”

“Survived falling off a wall?” Maedhros studied him, running his eyes down his thin frame, kicking his foot against the leg he had limped on. “Broke your leg in the process?”

Maeglin nodded. “It’s healed now.”

“Shit job you’ve done of it,” Maedhros remarked. He let released Maeglin and his cousin tumbled to the ground, rubbing at his neck. “What are you doing here?”

“Hunting food.”

“Stealing?” Maeglin didn’t refute the accusation, so Maedhros snorted. “I’ve nothing to spare.”

“Cousin-”

“I can’t make food appear, and I have my brother and two children to worry about.” He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. His prisoner looked awful, there was no doubting that, but he had Maglor and the twins first.

Maeglin nodded, seeming to understand. “Who are children? They’re not yours, I can-”

Maedhros grabbed him again, pressing his knife to Maeglin’s throat, pinning him to a tree. “If you so as much as look at those children, I will kill you.” Maeglin gasped for breath, opening and closing his mouth to no avail. “I will rip out your fingernails, then cut off each of your fingers, one by one. I will-”

“I won’t!” Maeglin gasped. Maedhros loosened his grip. “I swear-”

His grip tightened once again. “Here’s some friendly advice,” he said, shaking Maeglin. “Don’t swear any oaths.”

He dropped him again and Maeglin fell to his knees, shaking. “I won’t!” he said. “I promise!”

Maedhros folded his arms over his chest. “I have one last question.”

“Anything,” Maeglin said, glancing out of the corner of his eye as though wondering if he could outrun Maedhros.

The Feanorian knelt down until he was eye level with Maeglin. Placing one finger under his chin, he tilted his head back, forcing their eyes to meet. “Do you know what I do to those who help Morgoth?”

Maeglin stilled, his face growing paler by the second. “Cousin I-”

“I rip out their tongues so they can speak no more lies, then leave them tied in the woods, a cut on their arm,” he said softly, tilting his head. “The scent of blood draws orcs like flies. Without your tongue, you couldn’t sweet-talk your way to Morgoth before they devour you.”

Maeglin shook his head, stumbling back. “I only want to be left in peace-”

“You don’t deserve peace!” Maedhros grabbed him, knotting his hand in Maeglin’s shirt, pressing him into the hard ground. “Your mother died for you, and for what? A sniveling, crying, pathetic waste of an elf!”

“I’m not-”

“Silence!” Maedhros shook him. “Your mother was a dear friend of mine, and for that reason only, I’ll give you one chance to make her sacrifice worth something.”

Maeglin seemed to want to say something, but caught himself, nodding instead. Maedhros let go of his shirt, pushing himself back. “Come back to this tree tomorrow. I’ll bring you what I can spare. It won’t be much, but-” he shrugged. “It's better than what you’ve got.”

“Thank you,” Maeglin said, looking startled. “I-”

“And stop eating those berries.” Maedhros gestured to the bush beside them. “They’ll make you sick.”

Then he turned on his heel and strode away, making the short trek back to the Feanorian camp.

Maglor hurried forward as Maedhros returned, a thousand questions on his face. “Harmless,” the older brother said, nodding to the two children that were hurrying after him. “Come with me,” he said to his brother. 

* * *

“Let me come with you,” Maeglin said when Maedhros met him the next day. He was sitting at the base of the tree, his wounded leg stretched in front of him. If he was trying to make himself look pitiable, it wasn’t working on the Feanorian. It might have worked on Maglor, but he'd been left at the camp for a reason. Only when he'd realized Maeglin might pose a danger to the twins had he agreed to abandon him to the wilds. 

“No,” Maedhros replied.

“Why not?” Maeglin demanded, folding his arms over his chest. “I’m no less cursed than you-” He fell silent as Maedhros placed his boot on his leg, just above the knee.

For a moment, neither of them moved, then Maedhros gently pressed his foot into his cousin’s leg. Maeglin sucked in a deep breath, gritting his teeth. “I-”

“If you come near me again,” Maedhros said softly. “I will do much worse than leave you to the orcs.”

“I understand.” Maeglin’s voice was strained, and his hands balled into fists. “Please cousin, don’t-”

“Go east,” Maedhros said, dropping the supplies in Maeglin’s lap. “Get as far from Morgoth as you can, and you may yet survive.”


End file.
